Basketball Twitter showers Duncan with birthday wishes

Tim Duncan turns 38 on Friday, and other than some flecks of gray in his beard and his still full head of hair, it’s hard to tell too much difference from day he arrived as a fresh-faced rookie savior all the way back in 1997.

It’s even tougher on the court, where Duncan continues to play at a high level despite being one of just two players remaining from his draft class. (The other is Chauncey Billups, who averaged 3.8 points in 19 appearances with Detroit this season.)

Duncan became the first player in NBA history to average at least 15 points and 9.7 rebounds at 37 or older this season, and he’s off to another strong start in his 17th consecutive postseason. Full disclosure: Robert Parish averaged 14.9 points and 10.6 rebounds at 37, while Karl Malone and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar averaged 23.2 and 22.0 points, respectively. But that’s just about it for big men pushing 40 in NBA history, a point at which greats like Wilt Chamberlain and Bill Russell were already retired.

Given his success, some of us media hacks are wondering not if he’ll retire this summer, but if he’ll be back for more after his player option in 2014-15. Regardless what his plans are, Duncan is here now, still playing top-flight ball as he turns 38. Here are some selected posts as Basketball Twitter came out in full force to wish the NBA’s grand old man well on Friday.